Transparency scanning module

ABSTRACT

The present invention is an improved transparency scanning module, which is applied on a cover of scanning device. The transparency scanning module and the cover can be taken apart for different consuming groups. The features of the invention are that transparency scanning module is embedded in cover, and a slot of cover for holding transparency scanning module is set plural fillisters, and there are plural connectors set on the relative positions of transparency scanning module for connecting each other. When the fillisters connecting with the connectors, transparency scanning module is able to offer light and also transparency scanning module and cover are combined and fixed each other closely; on the other hand, rim of transparency scanning module is thinner, and most central part is protruding in z direction, thus transparency scanning module can be inserted and held in the slot of cover. This is another design for closely combination.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation patent application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/921,729, filed Aug. 3, 2001, issued as U.S. Pat. No.7,092,131.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to an improved transparency scanningmodule, especially a transparency scanning module applied on a documentcover of a scanner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present science has being developed to approach a better level thanbefore, and this result comes from computer. For example, the connectionand information transit among people, e-commerce on the net, etc., andall of them can not avoid the key of computer. Thus, electronic tools,merchandise, etc. are utilized at the present time. The first priorityof modern personal electronic tools is mobile phone, then personalcomputer, portable computer, personal digital assistant, digital camera,digital camcorder, personal scanner, etc. Those are to offer medias fortransferring human being normal and professional life to digital format,and it is easily saved for reference; or it can be sent to other peoplefor their reference. Further benefit is that those electronic tools ormerchandise can save both video and audio information, and it is reallyuseful.

For the present digital camera and digital camcorder, prices arenormally thousands to several decades thousands NTD (New TaiwanDollars), and sometimes they cannot even reach the requirement whatcustomers need. Therefore, those products are for player, and not forgeneral people or amateurs. Meantime, there is another way to approachthe requirement that digital camera and digital camcorder can do, whichis to ask traditional and low cost scanner. Furthermore, both electronicfile and traditional picture can be saved to be used in differentconditions.

There are several kinds of transparency scanning module, such as UTA(Upper Transparency Adapter), UTC (Universal Transparency Cover), etc.In case of scanning transparent document, the universal transparencydevice is a need. If there is no interface for upper light plate onoriginally purchased scanner, the scanner cannot be utilized totransparent document, and only for general document. Please refer toFIG. 1, which shows a side view of application of universal transparencydevice in prior art, wherein there are a cover A and a scanning platformB, and an upper light device C is set within the cover A, and a lightsource D is in the upper light device C, thus upper light device C movesback and forth in cover A; an optical module E is set in the scanningplatform B. Therefore, only purchasing transmission upper light sourcedevice, the transparent can be made.

Another prior art which is UTC referring to FIG. 2, and the FIG. 2 showsa scheme of built-in universal transparency device in prior art. Thedevice also includes a cover device F and a scanning platform I. Abuilt-in upper light plate G is set in the cover device F, both sides ofthe upper light plate are separately set two light sources H; Same asthe above scanning platform B, the scanning platform I is installed anoptical module J. The mentioned UTC is a built-in type. Namely, usershould purchase additional upper light plate device to scan transparentdocument.

To know from above mentioning, transparency scanning module and coverare in one body and cannot be separated, thus both of them should bepurchased together. This kind of consumption is not suitable for thatthe consumer does not need the transparency scanning module, thecustomer who considers financial point, then, the product acceptance andcompetitiveness are also effected. On the other hand, if market does notneed such designed product, continuously manufacturing it is to increasecost, and the economical benefit is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The first object for the present invention is to save unnecessaryexpense. Because of separately designing and producing transparencyscanning module and cover, consumer can only buy transparency scanningmodule or cover. After sorting markets and consumers, both consumers andmanufacturers save costs.

The second object for the present invention is to offer a multipleapplication style. If both are purchased by consumer, the combinationfunction for both can be applied when scanning transparent document; ifthere is a general document to be scanned, the transparency scanningmodule can be taken off from scanning platform and to install a generalcover on the scanning platform; thus, the operation is lighter and moreconvenient.

The third object for the present invention is to save manufacturingcost. Because of investigating and sorting markets and consumers,manufacturers understand what the situation is, thus, different specialproducts are produced based on different special consumer groups. Thisis to result of no additional products in stock.

The fourth object for the present invention is to promote competition.In case of no other manufacturers supplying such consuming style, themanufacturer who designs the different consumption method than anyothers before, consumers should put the manufacturer into the firstpriority for their purchasing.

For further understanding the present invention, please refer to thefollowing figures and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the side view scheme of application of transmission universaltransparency device of the invention in prior art.

FIG. 2 is the scheme of built-in transmission universal transparencydevice of the invention in prior art.

FIG. 3 is the scheme of the body of transparency scanning module, coverand ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) of the invention.

FIG. 4 is the 3-D scheme of the invention.

FIG. 5 is the section view of the invention.

FIG. 6 is the scheme of preferred embodiment of whole body for theinvention.

FIG. 7 is the scheme of another preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIG. 3, which is the combination scheme of transparencyscanning module, cover and automatic document feeder. It shows that anautomatic document feeder 2 is installed on a scanner 5, and paper 1 istransferred and fixed on a position of the scanner 5 for scanning viaautomatic document feeder 2, where is below the cover 4. In this case,transparency 3 offers light source for transparent document. FIG. 3clearly and easily shows the combination application of automaticdocument feeder and transparency scanning module. Automatic documentfeeder 2, transparency scanning module 3 and cover 4 are embedded andcannot be taken apart. Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a 3-D scheme.The difference between FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is that this embodiment ignoresautomatic document feeder 2 and is applied on cover of scanningmechanism (as general scanners); the transparency scanning module 3 isinstalled in the cover 4, and the features are:

The transparency scanning module 3 is embedded in the cover 4, and thereare two fillisters 7 of a slot 8. The slot 8 is for transparencyscanning module 3 putting into. The two fillisters 7 are in an innerwall of slot 8; on the contrary positions of transparency scanningmodule 3 are another two connectors 6 for connecting two fillisters 7.The two fillisters 7 on cover 4 and the two connectors 6 on transparencyscanning module 3 can be connected and taken apart at any time. Thecentral parts of the two fillisters 7 are made to be close together forembedding and holding two connectors 6. When the connection of twofillisters 7 and two connectors 6 are made, light source is ready forscanning transparent document. Another point, because of two fillisters7 embedding two connectors 6 and transparency scanning module 3 matchinginto cover 4, the functions of fixing and combining for transparencyscanning module 3 and cover 4 are approached. Therefore, transparencyscanning module 3 and cover 4 cannot not be moved in any direction. Onthe other hand, a male pivot structure 9 is set at bottom of front endof cover 4, and there is another female pivot structure 9 is set at theposition of scanner relative to the position of the male pivot structure9, thus the open and close actions can be made for cover 4.

Please refer to FIG. 5, which is the section view of the presentinvention, which shows the relationship of transparency scanning module3 and the design of light source layout. The transparency scanningmodule 3 is protruding at most central part in z direction, and the rimis thinner; on the contrary, cover 4 is formed as a hollow at centralpart, and the form is matched with transparency scanning module 3. Thus,module 3 cannot be moved both at x and y directions. The combinations ofafore said fillisters 7 with connectors 6 and the present transparencyscanning module 3 with cover 4 make double fixing function. There is alight source line 10 designed at the connection of fillisters 7 andcover 4, then the line 10 goes to pivot structure 9, wherein line 10 canbe formed to reach the object of convenience of pivot structure 9rotation.

Please refer to FIG. 6, which is a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The embodiment is integrated to be described for prior artand the present invention. A transparency scanning module 3 is embeddedwith a cover 4. There is an upper light source 14 in the transparencyscanning module 3 to supply a light going through transparent document(not shown in figure). After light going through transparent document,then light goes to a first reflect mirror 16, a second reflect mirror17, a third reflect mirror 18 and a lens 19, finally emitting on a CCD20 (Charge Couple Device). The afford said first reflect mirror 16,second reflect mirror 17, third reflect mirror 18, lens 19 and CCD 20are all in a light-path device 21. The light-path device 21 is installedon a guide rod 22 and guided by the guide rod 22. A motor 23 driveslight-path device 21 via a belt 24 to make the device 21 moving back andforth. A lower light source 15 emitting light path is prior art, and itis for general document and not described any more hereinafter. Thesection of light source line 10 after pivot structure 9 connects to anadapter 11 in a scanner 5, and then to a out line 12 and a plug 13,therefore, the layout is offer the power of upper light source 14. Forthe power layout of the lower light source 15 and motor 23 is prior art,and it is not described any more hereinafter.

Please refer to FIG. 7, which is a preferred embodiment of cover of thepresent invention. In FIG. 5, transparency scanning module 3 is embeddedinto cover 4 from top of cover 4; the present embodiment is from bottomof cover 4. The advantage is that there is no difference betweentransparency scanning module 3 and cover 4 in appearance. For the designof transparency scanning module 3, connectors 6 connect to fillisters 7as same as afore said, and there are another three fasteners 25connecting to another three fastening cavities 26 of cover 4 forstrongly fixing and connecting.

As a conclusion, the present invention jumps out from the prior art, andgets rid of shortness of prior art to keep the necessary elements, thusnot only the entity is lighter, but also that the cost is going down.The present is completely matching the present requirement of thescientific society.

The above descriptions are the preferable embodiments of the presentinvention. The covered scopes of the present invention are notrestricted on the embodiments shown in the present invention. All thechanges according to the contents of the present invention, such as: thechange of shapes or locations of the arrangement of the fasteningstructures, etc., the generated functions and characteristics similar tothose of the embodiments of the present invention and any ideas thoughtby the persons well-known such technologies are all within the scopes ofthe present invention.

1. A scanning module, comprising: a body at least partially formed fromtransparent material; a light source disposed within the body; and aplurality of electrical connectors rigidly mounted on the body, whereinthe plurality of electrical connectors are configured to provideelectrical energy to the scanning module from a scanning device cover,wherein the scanning module is configured to releasably mount to thescanning device cover, and wherein an electrical connection between theplurality of electrical connectors and a plurality of correspondingscanning device cover electrical connectors is made when the scanningmodule is releasably snapped into place.
 2. The scanning module of claim1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrical connectors iselectrically coupled to the light source.
 3. The scanning module ofclaim 1, further comprising a scanning module rim formed on at least aportion of the scanning module body, wherein the scanning module rim isconfigured to couple with a scanning device cover rim formed on thescanning device cover.
 4. The scanning module of claim 1, wherein thelight source is configured to supply light to at least a portion of thescanning module.
 5. An apparatus, comprising: means for releasablycoupling a transparency module having an embedded light source andplural power connectors to a scanning device cover to enable transparentdocument scanning, wherein the transparency module contains a rigidlymounted electrical coupler, and wherein an electrical connection is madebetween the transparency module and the scanning device cover when themeans for releasably coupling couples the transparency module with thescanning device cover.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprisingmeans for removing the transparency module to enable general documentscanning.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a rim formedon the transparency module, wherein the transparency module rim isconfigured to couple with a scanning device cover rim.
 8. The apparatusof claim 5, wherein the embedded light source is configured to supplylight to enable transparent document scanning.
 9. A system, comprising:a scanner device, having a scanner cover; and a scanning module coupledto the scanner device cover, the scanning module comprising: a body atleast partially formed from transparent material; a light sourcedisposed within the body; and a plurality of electrical connectorsrigidly mounted on the body, wherein the plurality of electricalconnectors are configured to provide electrical energy to the scanningmodule from the scanner device cover, wherein the scanning module isconfigured to releasably mount to the scanner device cover, and whereinan electrical connection between the plurality of electrical connectorsand a plurality of corresponding scanner device cover electricalconnectors is made when the scanning module is snapped into place. 10.The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality ofelectrical connectors is electrically coupled to the light source. 11.The system of claim 9, further comprising a scanning module rim formedon at least a portion of the scanning module body, wherein the scanningmodule rim is configured to couple with a scanning device cover rimformed on the scanning device cover.
 12. A light panel comprising: abody at least partially formed from translucent material; a light sourcedisposed within the body; and a light panel electrical connector rigidlymounted to the body, wherein the light panel releasably attaches to animaging device cover, and wherein an electrical connection between thelight panel electrical connector and an imaging device cover electricalconnector is made when the light panel is releasably attached to theimaging device cover, wherein the light panel releasably attaches to theimaging device cover via a light panel snap fit feature configured toreleasably mate with a corresponding feature of the imaging devicecover, and wherein the electrical connection between the light panelelectrical connector and the imaging device cover electrical connectoris made when the light panel is snapped into place.
 13. The light panelof claim 12, wherein the electrical connectors provide the snap fitfeature.
 14. An apparatus, comprising: a cover containing a recessedportion, wherein the cover is pivotally attached to a scanner body; amodular light source configured to be releasably mounted at leastpartially within the recessed portion of the cover, wherein electricalenergy is supplied from the cover to the modular light source, whereinthe modular light source includes an interference fit feature thatinterferes with a corresponding feature of the cover to releasably mountthe modular light source to the cover; and an electrical connectorrigidly mounted to the modular light source, wherein an electricalconnection between the modular light source electrical connector and acorresponding cover electrical connector is made when the modular lightsource is pressed into place thereby coupling the electrical connectorsand providing electrical energy to the modular light source.
 15. Thelight panel of claim 14, wherein the coupling electrical connectorsprovide the interference fit features.